Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. T. B. READ, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part vof Letters Patent No. 17,451, dated June 2, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. T. B. READ, of Alton, in the county of Madison and State of V Illinois, have invented a new and useful Im- Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my im-4 provement. Fig. 2 is an end view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same, a: in Fig. 2 showing the plane of section. Fig. L.Lis a perspective view of the shoe, and a portion ot' the finger-bar.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class ofharvesters whose sickles are driven or operated by a crank-movement.

This invention consists in making the shoe in one piece, so that it shall serve as a support for the finger-bar and also as a guide both for the inner end of the sickle-bar and the end of the connecting-rod, andlikewise serve to maintain the connection between the last-named parts.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a portion of the finger-bar of a reaper-the inner end of the finger-bar.

B represents the ngers.

C represents the sickle-bar, which is tted and works on the fingers B, the teeth or cutters a of the bar C working in the slots of the lingers in the usual way. The inner end of the sickle-bar G has a ledge or projection, b, formed on it, said ledge or projection having a hole or eye, c, made through it to receive the pin d at the end of a connectingrod, D.

E represents a shoe, which is permanently secured to the inner end of the iinger-bar A.

The end of this shoe E adjoining the tinger-bar A has a socket formed in it. This socket is merelya transverse slot or opening, c, made through the shoe E, so that the inner end of the sickle-bar C, theledge orprojection bthereon, and the innermost teeth or cutters (one or more) may work back and forth therein. A slot or opening, f, is also made transversely in the upper part of the shoe E, so as to allow the connecting-rod D to work back and forththere'- in. The connecting-rod is attached to acrank or crank-pulley, F, driven from the drivingwheel of the machine, and arranged in any of the known ways.

From the above description ot' partsit will be seen that thelshoe E is made in one piece and serves as a support to the end of the tingerbar A,and also as a guide for the inner end of the sickle-bar, and likewise as a guide for the lower end of the connecting-rod.

It will also be seen that the end ofthe connecting-bar is held or kept in connection with the cutter-bar by the slot, not requiring a pin, as in other machines, which is liable to work out in consequence ot' the length of the slot being greater :than the vibrations of the cutter-bar. Mine cannot get out of place, while the slides, that are commonly riveted and are constantly getting loose, are dispensed with.

What l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Making the shoe E in onepiece, asdescribed, so that by its peculiar formation it shall serve not only as a support for the finger-bar A and as a support and guide for the inner end both of the sickle-bar G and connecting-rod D, but also as a means of preserving the connection between the connecting-rod and the sickle-bar,

as herein set forth.

WM. T. B. READ. Witnesses:

ADoLPHUs DENs, A. H. DRAPER. 

